Dr. Behmand currently serves as Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs at Dominican University of California. She earned her MA and PhD in English and American Studies at the University of Dusseldorf, Germany, with minors in Medieval Studies and Political Science. She began teaching in Dominican’s Department of Literature & Languages in 2007 after a number of years at large public universities in the United States. During her tenure at Dominican, she has held a number of administrative positions: Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Dominican Experience, Director of the General Education program, Director of Faculty Development, and founding Director of First Year Experience "Big History." She has loved the classroom, has great affinity for specialty courses on 19th century women’s literature, Gothic novels, and world literature, and she relished working with students. In January of 2010, as an Assistant Professor, she was elected Dominican’s Teacher of the Year. Dr. Behmand has published and presented widely on medieval Persian epics and passion plays, Big History pedagogy, curricular revision, faculty development, and leading change from the middle. She is the creator and co-editor of the book Teaching Big History published by UC Press.